Indicating-target.



PATENTED FEB. 13, 1906.

R. M. v. BREMER. INDIGATING TARGET. APPLICATION FILED JULY 25. 1904.

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lullin! R. M. V. BRBMER. INDIGATING TARGET. Arrnxou'xon Hun JULY as.1904.

Z//b'tnSe/s JWM ,UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE. REN MARIE vIcToR BREMER,or scHAERBEEcx-BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

lNDlCATlNG-TARGET. y

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application filed July 25, 1904. Serial No. 218,143.

To all whom it ny concern,.-

Be it known that I, REN MARIE VICTOR BREMER, a subject of the King ofBelgium, residing at Schaerbeeck-Brussels, Belgium, have invented a newand useful Improvement in indicating-Targets, of which the following isa specification.

Thls invention relates to an improvement applied to automatic indicatingtargets w 'ch are arranged to rotate upon a pivot, and has for itsobject the provision of a pivoting target of which the sensitiveness canbe regulated at will and of which the operation is absolutely sure andexact. Further, the said improvement permits an easy construction of atarget, so that it is protected from injury by projectiles, carriage, orWeather.

This invention is applicable to targets of all shapes and of one of moresections, giving outlines, disks, or rectangular faces, and permits theemployment of targets in fixed positions or movable by horizontalmovement or by eclipse.

The invention consists, essentially, in that the pivoting target may bearranged to lean at an angle toward the direction oil firing by theaction ofits own weight or i a counterbalance-weight and may there restupon a fixed abutment, so as to oppose in its position of rest apredetermined force of resistance to the shocks ofthe projectiles. Theproint of abutment is situated, preferably, in

ont of the center of rotation of the target, so that the lever formingthe support of the latter is in an inclined position toward thedirection of firing, and the angle of inclination of this lever formsone of the factors on which depends the force of resistance to the shockof the projectiles. Having regard to other factors effecting this force,such as the moment of the weight of the target and the length of thelever supporting the target, the sensibilit to shock may be determinedand regulate by the angle of inclination that is given to thepivoting-lever supporting the of t e force of resistance in such mannerthat it would corres ond to a determined amount, so that the w oleenergy of the rojectiles may be absorbed by the target. s a consequenceof this means of regulation the imipoved target is applicable for allkinds of earms-such as rifles, field-artillery, and the like-and may beutilized for all distances and kinds of ranges from the smallest to thelargest. The system, also, of regulation havtargpt. This will permit theexact regulation ing regard to the surface of the target enables targetsto be arranged, which, while sensible to the shock of rojectiles, areuninfluenced by the force of the wind.

To carry out this invention,'the angle of oscillation of thelever-supportpf the target is limited by two abutments, of which that onone side forms the stop in the inclined position of rest and that on theother side the 6:

s'top for the movement of :the recoil produced by the shock of theprojectile. l The rocking support of the target carries on one side ablock or other similar arrangement` situated so as to operate a contactor elec- 7c trical commutator by which the required signal or indicationof its movement is effected. The arrangement'of the rocking arm isadapt-1l ed so that the pivot of rotation and the lower parts of thearms, as well as the electrical ycon-l tacts, are inclosed in a cover orcase -placed on the ground, so that this delicate'part of the apparatusis protected againstthe weather and against damage from stray.,vv

It is advantageous to reduce 8c projectiles. the oscillation of therocking arm lto the smallest possible amount, partlcularly where. thetargets are composed of many sections; but since this reduction ofmovement will produce the diminution in the duration of pieces togetherwhen the recoil has ceased, so

that the two pieces of contact brought together by the first movement ofthe target will retain their metallic contact during some portion of thereturn movement of the target.

In order that this invention may be the Ic better understood, it Willnow be described with reference to the drawings hereto annexed and tothe letters marked thereon.

Figs. 1 and 2 show diagrammaticallyin elevation two simple forms of thisimproved tarrc get. Fig. 3 shows in sectional elevation the target madein several sections, such as representing the outline of a man. Fig. 4shows the same tar et in front elevation. Fig. 5

shows in sectional elevation, to an enlarged I:

scale, a detail of an electrical contact operat ing by the closing ofthe circult.

mit...

For this purpose the fixed 9c The apparatus is composed of a rod or arma, carrying the target b and a block; c. This arm can turn upon an axisd and is limited in its movement of oscillation by the abutments e andf. The arm a is, by plreferenca-bent as an elbow in order that in t esup orted mass the center of gravity (sa at 1v) wil 'be situated outsidethe vertical ane assi'ng through the axis of rotation i Un er theseconditions the arm ais inclined as regards the ven tical by itsownweight and is held in a position of rest upon the abutment e. Theosition of this abutment regulates the inc ination of the arm a. Theangle of inclination, the weight causing the target to lean forward, andthe length of the arm ofthe supportinglever are the factors whichdetermine the resistance of the target-that is, its sensibility ofmovement-against the shock of the projectiles coming against it from thedirection y. The block c is designed to set in action the apparatus ofthe electrical contact g, Olperating by the closure or the breakin ofcurrent and influencing an electrica signal or indicator 71 placed nearthe firer.

In the example shown in Fig. 2 the armsupport a of the target is formedas a bell.- crank. It is rovided with a horizontal arm i, carrying aalance-weight k in regulatable position. This disposition constitutes anauxiliary means for the regulation of the resistance to movement of thetarget. This auxiliary means of regulation is notably emloyed in targetsof multiple sections and has or its object the power to give the sameinclination to the arms of all the sections and to compensate thedifferences between the lengths of the supporting-arms a by the positionof the counterbalance-Wei ht c-that is to say, b the modification of t emoment of the weig t with which the target is pressed against theabutment e. Different sections o the target possess thus the same forcesof resistance to the shocks of the projectiles, While at the saine timehaving the same angle of inclination from the vertical constitutes afacility for the construction of this form of target.

In targets composed of multiple sections, as in Figs. 3 and 4, eachsection b is fixed to an independent oscillating arm a. The arms eachcarry a block c, which correspond also to contacts g. The arms a, lacedone beside the other, as is indicated in igs. 3 and 4, turn, bypreference, upon the same axis d. The lower parts of the arms a and thecontact apparatus Iq are all inclosed in a case m, provided with a s otor slots of which the edges e l{ constitute the abutments to-limit theosci ating movements of the arms a. It is of utility to reduce thesemovements to the smallest possible amount in order not to createtoo-great deviations between the different sections b of the target. Asthis small movement may produce evidently a very small duration ofcontact in the" electrical indicating parts, which may result in afailure in the action. of the indicator, it is advantageous to form theapparatus of contact so that this would permit a prolongation o contactduring the return movement of the target or section of target to itsinitial osition. a

In Fig. 5 is-.s own in vertical section the forni of construction ofcontact apparatus according to this principle for operating by theclosure of the current. At the Asame time the same principle ofconstruction can be easily adapted to an apparatus operating by thebreakage of an electrical current.

The a aratus is fixed upon a support g, attache in any convenient mannerto the interior of the case m or forming an integral part of the latter.

The pieces of contact are composed of two pistons n o, moving in thecylinder p g and pressedtoward the tar etarm by springs 1' t, operatingon the shoul ers formed upon these pistons. The cylinder q with itspiston o is com letely insulated from the supportingbrac et g. Thepiston o is arrested at a short distance from the other piston n, whichtraverses the bracket g. The two pistons are preferably provided withround ends in platinum. The forward piston n, carries a continuation s,slightl curved, placed so as to receive the thrust o theblock c of thearm a. The spring 1^ of the rearward iston of contact o is slightlystronger than tlie spring t of the forward iston fn. s. Each piston maycarry a termina to which may be attached the conductors of the source ofelectricity. At the same time by reason of the insulation between p andq the terminals might be fixed to such cylinders. It will be readilyunderstood that when the piston s rnl is thrust backward by the block cmoving with the oscillation of the arm a, the piston n comes incontact-with the-piston o, the two springs tr being compressed underthis action. When the armareturns to its initial position, the springsthrust the two pistons o n forward. By reason of this movement and thedifferential IIO forcesof the springs, the two pistons maintain I theirmetallic contact during a large part of the return oscillation of thearm a, which insuresa duration of contact sufficient to overcome theinertia of the parts of the electrical apparatus operated by the closureof circuit by the contacts n and o. The springs r t constitute at thesame time further means of adjustment, and their resistance is thusadded tov the forces of resistance of the target, as hereinbeforedescribed.

H aving now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, isn l1. In combination, a series of separate arts ofthe target all supported on distinct evers, a pin-support for t esame atthe basis i i l l i IIS ward the lin of ring, one part of said slotforming a means of support of the tar etarms at an inclined osition ofrest, the ot er part of the said slot ibrming an upward check to therecoilof the said targets, and means for making electrical contact whenthe targets are driven back.

2. I n combination, a series of separate parts of the targlt all held ina position of rest with their wei@ t assin beyond their supports towardtche iiing (lection, a pin-support for the same at the basis of a case,a contact-piece upon the outer face of each bar, and two spring-pressedpistons, adapted to close together under the recoil of the beam,

3. In combination, a series of separate parts of the target, all held ina position of rest with their Weight passing beyond their support towardthe firlng directlon, and a counterbalance-weight extended toward thedirection of ring to give an adjustable control to the resilience of thetarget-faces.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twoWitnesses.

REN MARIE VICTOR BREllI-ER. Witnesses:-

A. GRACE, GREGORY PHELAN.

